ChainCatcher news, investment research firm PitchBook stated in a report that in the fourth quarter of 2024, financing in the cryptocurrency sector increased by 13.6% quarter-on-quarter, reaching $2.5 billion across a total of 351 transactions. Investors made larger investments in a few startups with soaring valuations, with the average pre-money valuation in the seed stage increasing by 70.2% year-on-year.The report noted that while the total financing in the cryptocurrency sector remained stable at $10 billion in 2024, the number of transactions declined. Investors primarily directed funds towards early-stage startups, with the median valuation doubling year-on-year to $52 million, while later-stage companies only received 5% of all funding rounds.PitchBook described 2024 as a year of "increasing selectivity among investors" and anticipated that there would be consolidation among infrastructure providers, exchanges, and custodians this year, with VCs particularly enthusiastic about the areas of stablecoins and artificial intelligence.